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French Sunday Lunch:

Guinea Fowl with Apples, Prunes and Armagnac Mustard Sauce

(Pintade aux Prunes)

Dawn breaks, sending fiery rays of blood-red rays through the old lace curtains……it’s a Sailor’s (or Shepherd’s) warning morning, and then I hear the patter of rain as it hits the window, driven by blustering winds. The duvet clings to me like a protective jacket, the pillows are fluffy, the bed feels “safe” and I really do not want to get up. It’s the first Sunday in March and Spring is officially here, it’s a shame that SW France seems to have forgotten this fact. I curse quietly under my breath as my husband slumbers on – it’s obviously “my turn” to let the chickens out again. Warm feet slip into cold slippers and I grope around for my fleece – a dressing gown won’t be “man” enough for the weather that I can hear outside; padding silently down the stairs, a cat winds around my legs, purring in anticipation of food and strokes………the other cat is hiding under the table with evil intent, and jumps out to attack my sheepskin slippers as I pass her lair…….

Red sky in the Morning, SW France

….clicking the kettle on, I then make my way through the stable door and flap my way over the grass, nightie flying and flaying, to the hen hut at the bottom of the garden. The blood-red sky is now a gentle pink and the rain has stopped, thankfully. The warm glow of the kitchen beckons me as I make my way back up the garden, and all I can think of is a cup of tea and preferably taken in bed.

Morning sky, SW France

Back in the kitchen I make a pot of tea and prepare a “Sunday morning” tray – that’s milk, tea and mugs to take upstairs for another snooze in bed! But before I make my way back up the old oak staircase, I assemble a few ingredients, ready for Sunday lunch – bringing apples, potatoes and a jar of mustard in from the pantry, ready to prepare after my Sunday morning indulgence of tea in bed. I have a recipe in mind, a comforting dish of rustic elegance that will be perfect for a lazy lunch………a lunch that is made in one roasting tray for ease, Guinea Fowl with Apples, Prunes and Armagnac Mustard Sauce (Pintade aux Prunes) and a recipe that will allow me to indulge in opening a new jar from my recently arrived Maille Mustard Gift Box.

Maille Mustard Gift Set

I have already decided on which jar of mustard I will use – the selection was amazing with mustards of every hue and flavour and I was tempted to use the Mustard with White Wine and Dijon Blackcurrant Liqueur, as well as the Mustard with White Wine, Shallots, Chervil and Chanterelle Mushrooms, but it was the Mustard with White Wine, Dried Prunes and Armagnac Brandy that I decided to use in the end. I have cooked the recipe (I am sharing today) before, but with a few different variations – we both love “pintade” and there is no need to buy a whole bird, as you can buy pieces of “quarters” of Guinea fowl in France, which is handy for two people.

Mustard with White Wine, Dried Prunes and Armagnac Brandy

I LOVE this recipe as it is easy to prepare and cook, as it all roasts in one tray; the sauce is easily made in a saucepan and that means less washing up with only two dishes used. I served this with some of my Spiced Red Cabbage with Apples, which was in the freezer, and that and a glass (or two) of Cremant de Limoux completed our Sunday lunch. As well as the beautiful Guinea fowl and English Russet apples, the Maille mustard was the star of the show and complimented the dish perfectly; this mustard has a heat rating of 3 out of 5, so it’s quite mellow, but with a pronounced fruity taste and the Armagnac brandy coming in later, along with the wine……it’s a very sophisticated mustard with a complex taste, and it was also perfect as an accompaniment on the side of the plate, with our roast potatoes being dipped and dabbed in it.

DO try this recipe, maybe for a lazy Sunday lunch one day, or for a dinner party – if you are not keen on Guinea fowl, which I always describe as tasting “like chicken with attitude”, then use chicken pieces instead. Rabbit can also be used in place of Guinea fowl and mustard sauce is a classic French way of cooking and serving rabbit, and is truly delicious. Not long to the weekend now, have a wonderful day and I’ll be back soon with some more new recipes and “kitchen chat”, Karen.

Cherie, my Korat cat hiding and ready to pounce!

Disclaimer: I received a box of Maille Mustards as well as a financial fee for creating and developing this original recipe using Maille Mustards. All opinions and views are my own.

An easy one-pan dish of rustic elegance with guinea fowl, potatoes, apples and prunes in a creamy mustard sauce with Armagnac. This makes a wonderful meal for two, but quantities can be increased for more diners.

Ingredients

2 guinea fowl quarters (the leg and thigh)

2 to 3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into edge shaped chips (Leave the skin in if they are new potatoes)

3 eating apples, cored and cut into wedges (I used Russet apples)

1 gammon steak, cut into small pieces (or 75g lardons/bacon pieces)

sea salt and black pepper

fresh thyme

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

sauce

8 to 10 dried Agen prunes (soaked for 30 minutes in cold tea or apple juice if they are very hard)

150mls chicken stock

4 tablespoons crème fraiche

2 teaspoons Maille prune and Armagnac mustard

1 tablespoon Armagnac brandy

Note

An easy one-pan dish of rustic elegance with guinea fowl, potatoes, apples and prunes in a creamy mustard sauce with Armagnac. This makes a wonderful meal for two, but quantities can be increased for more diners. Serve with spiced red cabbage.

Directions

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6

Step 2

Arrange the guinea fowl, potato wedges, apples and gammon pieces in a large roasting tin in a single layer. Season with sea salt and pepper and scatter a few fresh thyme leaves over the top. Finally, drizzle the oil over and roast in pre-heated oven for 45 to 50 minutes - or until the guinea fowl is cooked and the potatoes are crunchy and golden brown.

Step 3

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Whisk the crème fraiche, mustard and Armagnac brandy into the chicken stock and heat over a gentle heat in a saucepan. Just before serving add the prunes and stir. Keep warm until you needed.

Step 4

Serve the guinea fowl on warm plates, and share the roast ham, potatoes and apple out equally. Pour some of the sauce over the guinea fowl and decant the rest into a gravy jug.

Your recipe sounds lovely and will certainly give it a go when we get back in September (we leave here on 17th). Where do you buy “quarters” of guinea fowl? I’ve only ever seen whole ones here.

Got a jar of mustard with absinthe the other day which is lovely, pale green in colour with a fascinating flavour. Iit’s made locally by a company called Domaine de Terre Rouge at Turenne, not far frome Brive.

oh my flippn’ heck…. those chips, that guinea fowl… the sauce… I literally want to scratch the screen and lean in to eat and smell the gorgeous aroma… this is beautiful my dear, very rustic-chic if ever there was such a thing xx

That looks heavenly. We love pintade too and that sauce sounds superb. I am a big fan of minimal washing up too so this sounds like my kind of recipe. All the more time to indulge in the cremant de Limoux!

Aww, thanks SO much Laura, sometimes I get stuck in a “words” rut and forget to share what I am doing, so I decided to share my Sunday morning with you all! SO pleased you enjoyed the post, recipe and images too…….Karen

Meet Karen

Bienvenue! I'm Karen; it’s lovely to see you here. I share my time between beautiful North Yorkshire and SW France. I am a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for art, travel, books, photography, seasonal food and especially cheese! Please do get in contact with me if you have any questions about my work or commissioning me. Read More…